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Nature-based environmental education of children: Environmental knowledge and connectedness to nature, together, are related to ecological behaviour
Abstract
The promotion of environmental knowledge is viewed as a fundamental component of environmental education and a necessary prerequisite to ecological behaviour; however, it has little effect on actual behaviour. Nature-based environmental education, which combines the acquisition of environmental knowledge with the promotion of an intrinsic driver, namely connectedness to nature, is proposed as a holistic approach to increase ecological behaviour. This paper evaluates the effect of participation in nature-based environmental education in 4th to 6th graders (N = 255). As expected, increased participation in nature-based environmental education was related to greater ecological behaviour, mediated by increases in environmental knowledge and connectedness to nature. While both factors were similarly predicted by participation in nature-based environmental education, connectedness to nature explained 69% and environmental knowledge 2% of the variance in ecological behaviour. However, the design of our data do not evidence the causality of these relations, which are solely based on theoretical assumptions supported by literature. Nevertheless, the importance of fostering both environmental knowledge and connectedness to nature as complementary drivers of ecological behaviour, as offered by nature-based environmental education, should be researched further as a highly promising approach to fostering ecologically-motivated individuals.
... There are many aspects that can influence environmental behaviours and, in turn, lead to eco-citizenship. In addition, we have applied the importance of environmental knowledge combined with connectedness with nature, which Otto and Pensini (2017) claim is effective in promoting environmental behaviour. ...
... In this sense, reading factual picturebooks about bees and going on an excursion to look for bees may be understood as environmental knowledge as well as creating a 'connectedness with nature' . This combination of environmental knowledge and connectedness to nature has, according to Otto and Pensini (2017), a substantial effect on environmental behaviour. Moreover, by initiating this teaching unit by looking for bees outside, reading about bees was linked to an inquiry activity. ...
... Enthusiasm and curiosity are of great importance when we want the children to feel a connectedness to nature. Nature connectedness is about the emotional connectedness with nature and its creatures, and is linked to later environmental behaviours, see Figure 5.1 (Krasny, 2020;Otto & Pensini, 2017). This emotional connectedness and enthusiasm might, in turn, lead to action competence in sustainability issues along the same lines as mentioned by . ...
Learning about organisms that are familiar to young students can be a fruitful way to engage in biological diversity and may create an opportunity for the teacher to link the organism to the ecosystem. In this chapter, we investigate how using picturebooks and trips outside, while focusing on bumblebees and their place in the ecosystem, promote systems thinking, critical thinking, and eco-citizenship.
... Theoretically, knowledge of sustainability and conservation fosters a sense of environmental stewardship, promoting a deep understanding of the impact of human activities on natural systems. However, environmental knowledge on its own is not enough to create a connection to nature that inspires pro-environmental actions (Otto & Pensini, 2017;Roczen et al., 2014). Environmental attitudes, reflecting values, beliefs, and perceptions about the environment, are critical mediators that enhance the likelihood of knowledge translating into behavior (Milfont & Duckitt, 2010). ...
... The appropriateness of the measures used also needs further discussion. While many studies examined knowledge-related variables, environmental knowledge alone does not necessarily lead to sustainable action (Otto & Pensini, 2017;Roczen et al., 2014). Behavioral change is crucial in environmental education, yet most research measures only behavioral intention rather than actual behavior. ...
... Affective variables were underrepresented among the outcome variables, with few studies examining emotional facets. Previous research has emphasized the importance of emotions in sustainability education (Brosch & Steg, 2021;Kals et al., 1999;Otto & Pensini, 2017;Shephard, 2008). Future research should consider both positive and negative emotions, such as joy, fear, anxiety, and anger, as well as compassion and empathy, which are especially relevant in the context of nature connectedness (Spangenberger et al., 2025). ...
The integration of Extended Reality (XR) technologies in environmental education represents a potentially transformative way to engage and educate the public about ecological issues. This systematic literature review seeks to examine the expanding use of XR technologies within environmental education. It addresses key research questions regarding the extent, design, methods, and results of XR interventions, offering an in-depth analysis of their effectiveness in promoting environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Based on the findings, the review highlights the importance of integrating XR experiences within established curricula, ensuring precise documentation and design of technologies used, grounding XR development and interventions in educational theory, and selecting appropriate methodologies for exploring critical outcomes. Findings from the literature review provides an overview of XR technology in environmental education, highlights effective practices, and suggests directions for future research. Educators and policymakers can leverage the review’s recommendations to guide the development and implementation of XR interventions that are pedagogically sound, evidence-based, and aligned with educational and environmental objectives, ultimately fostering more impactful and sustainable learning experiences.
... Here, they suggest individual's emotional connection to or knowledge about nature as a pathway. Indeed, it has been suggested also by other scholars that the link between nature exposure and pro-conservation behaviour may not be direct, but moderated by concepts such as environmental knowledge and nature-relatedness (Otto and Pensini 2017). However, similarly here, a body of literature emphasizes that knowledge about nature and environmental issues alone might not lead to action unless individuals experience nature and feel emotionally connected, making environmental issues more personally relevant and motivating action (Kaplan et al. 1998;Miller 2005;Otto and Pensini 2017); as well as environmental identity and other psychological factors (Clayton and Myers 2015); although these are not covered in this study. ...
... Indeed, it has been suggested also by other scholars that the link between nature exposure and pro-conservation behaviour may not be direct, but moderated by concepts such as environmental knowledge and nature-relatedness (Otto and Pensini 2017). However, similarly here, a body of literature emphasizes that knowledge about nature and environmental issues alone might not lead to action unless individuals experience nature and feel emotionally connected, making environmental issues more personally relevant and motivating action (Kaplan et al. 1998;Miller 2005;Otto and Pensini 2017); as well as environmental identity and other psychological factors (Clayton and Myers 2015); although these are not covered in this study. ...
... This model postulates the importance of naturerelatedness and knowledge as links between nature exposure and pro-conservation behaviour (Roczen et al. 2014). Environmental knowledge and nature-relatedness are considered as related, yet independent constructs (Otto and Pensini 2017). People who feel a strong nature-relatedness may have a heightened interest in learning about it. ...
Addressing the global biodiversity crisis requires conservation engagement across generations. However, generational amnesia and extinction of experience probably threaten this effort, reflecting declines in nature knowledge, experience and engagement among younger generations. We examined urban green area visit frequency, nature-relatedness, identification skills and familiarity with species (plants, birds and butterflies) and pro-conservation behaviour intentions in adolescents (15-17 years, mean = 15.97), young adults (18-29 years, mean = 23.72) and older adults ([ 30 years, mean = 40.54) in Germany. With a path analysis, we explored relationships between concepts across all age groups. Although all age groups visited green areas similarly, identification skills, nature-relatedness and intentions declined progressively from older to younger groups. Nature-relatedness predicted intentions and identification skills predicted nature-relatedness across all groups. Our findings support the importance of fostering nature-relatedness and species knowledge through age-sensitive access to urban green areas with opportunities to connect with and learn about nature.
... Studies focused on environmental education for elementary students have shown a strong positive correlation between participation in nature-based environmental programs and increased ecological behavior, a more positive and empathetic view of nature, enhanced environmental knowledge, and connectedness to nature. These findings suggest that nature-based environmental education is a promising approach to fostering environmentally responsible individuals [24,25]. School is a key element in environmental education since the physical spaces of the school can be transformed into green spaces by implementing school garden programs. ...
... We did not propose a quantitative study based on the administration of a pre-and post-intervention survey since many studies with this structure have been reported without conclusive results. Results without statistical significance are frequently found, and qualitative data are utilized in order to draw conclusions supported by empirical evidence [25,26,42,43]. Instead, we considered it more interesting to carry out this prospective study that would give us an idea of what kind of perceptions students form from this experience about the topics of urban biodiversity decline, the concept of One Health, and the importance and usefulness of environmental education. ...
... It has been reported that it is quite difficult to prove the effects of educational proposals on environmental attitudes [44]. The use of mixed methods, both quantitative and qualitative, has proven to be one of the best ways [25,28,42,43]. Considering our study and based on the qualitative results, we presume that some of these positive attitudes were obtained as a result of their participation in the PBL environmental program. ...
Research in environmental education points out the need for an improvement in pre-service teacher education training in this area. This proposal follows PBL methodology and focuses on the development of an environmental education project whose final product is the organization of a science fair for elementary school students. The 5-week project addresses the topic of urban biodiversity decline and uses the butterfly garden as an initiative to mitigate it. Four months after the program ended, a survey was administered to the 86 participating pre-service teachers. A mixed-methods approach was used, collecting quantitative data on perceptions of urban biodiversity decline, the One Health concept, and environmental education, along with qualitative keyword responses to open-ended questions about the butterfly garden’s impact and the project’s value for self-learning and professional development. Participants reported positive perceptions regarding butterfly gardens after participating in our environmental program, recognizing them as both a valuable educational resource and an effective initiative to mitigate urban biodiversity decline. Respondents showed a strong pro-environmental attitude, taking seriously their role in transmitting environmental values. Using a butterfly garden for teaching purposes offers insight into environmental literacy, connection with nature, and improvements in well-being and is a powerful platform for deep and meaningful pedagogical learning.
... Studies such as McBride et al. (2013) [88] indicate that higher ecological literacy significantly predicts pro-environmental behaviors among individuals, underscoring the transformative potential of targeted educational interventions. Additionally, Otto and Pensini (2017) [89] demonstrated that experiential nature-based education not only fosters ecological awareness but also strengthens participants' emotional connections with nature, leading to enhanced sustainability actions. Supporting the link between human flourishing and environmental connectedness, Capaldi et al. (2014) [90] provided compelling evidence that individuals who frequently engage with natural environments experience greater psychological well-being, increased positive affect, and lower stress levels. ...
... Studies such as McBride et al. (2013) [88] indicate that higher ecological literacy significantly predicts pro-environmental behaviors among individuals, underscoring the transformative potential of targeted educational interventions. Additionally, Otto and Pensini (2017) [89] demonstrated that experiential nature-based education not only fosters ecological awareness but also strengthens participants' emotional connections with nature, leading to enhanced sustainability actions. Supporting the link between human flourishing and environmental connectedness, Capaldi et al. (2014) [90] provided compelling evidence that individuals who frequently engage with natural environments experience greater psychological well-being, increased positive affect, and lower stress levels. ...
This paper expands on the anthropocentric focus of the Self-Directed Flourishing (SDF) framework by introducing the Eco-Systemic Flourishing (ESF) framework. The primary contribution of the ESF is the integration of ecological systems thinking, place-based education, and regenerative learning into existing flourishing frameworks. Methodologi-cally, the paper synthesizes interdisciplinary perspectives from developmental psychology, systems theory and sustainability education and to propose a transformative educational approach. The results outline how the ESF framework positions education as a crucial driver for fostering relational awareness and ecological literacy, thus promoting both human and planetary flourishing. The framework's implications are significant, offering a scalable model for sustainability integration in educational systems, curriculum design, and policy development. Future empirical validation, through longitudinal studies, is recommended to evaluate ESF's effectiveness in enhancing educational outcomes and ecological stewardship.
... Environmental education enables individuals to gain more knowledge about the environment, develop their attitudes towards it, and transform these into behavior [5,6,7,8]. Environmental education includes teaching responsible behavior in all areas, including the use of resources, energy consumption, waste production and water consumption. Environmental education should be conducted in three fundamental settings: the home environment, the neighborhood, and the school [9]. ...
... environmentally conscious teachers can positively change children's attitudes towards the environment [6,7,8,21,22,23,24,25]. ...
One of the current and significant problems of this age is the issue of environmental pollution, which is growing day by day and causing the emergence of other problems. People's consciousness of environmental issues affects the continuation or solution of this problem. This research was studied to investigate the environmental consciousness of teachers and administrators working in schools in Bitlis, Türkiye. The study was studied with 783 teachers and administrators during the spring semester of the 2021-2022 academic year. In the research, a "Demographic Knowledge Form" and the "Environmental Consciousness Scale" were used as data collection tools. Looking at some findings obtained from the research; it was determined that 89.02% of the participants were university graduates; 87.87% were teachers; 91.95% were not members of a non-governmental organization aimed at protecting the environment; 97.83% were interested in environmental issues, and most lived in a small city (78.29%). The level of environmental awareness has been assessed in the subdimensions of attitude, knowledge, and behavior. To determine the level of environmental consciousness, a Likert-type scale was used for analysis, revealing a high level of environmental consciousness (M = 3.81, SD = 0.33). As a result, it was determined that the participants were sensitive to the pollution in their environment and that although they had environmental knowledge and attitudes, they were deficient in turning it into behavior.
... This study aims to create a framework of environmental education Otto & Pensini, 2017). This is very crucial because the end goal of environmental education is not just about learning the concepts but also understanding how the concepts work (Kamil et al., 2020;Otto & Pensini, 2017). ...
... This study aims to create a framework of environmental education Otto & Pensini, 2017). This is very crucial because the end goal of environmental education is not just about learning the concepts but also understanding how the concepts work (Kamil et al., 2020;Otto & Pensini, 2017). Further, in the context of this study, this dimension is defined Organization (2023). ...
Objective: Affective learning domain is crucial in developing a sense of ownership and responsibility for learned competencies. This approach is essential, especially in environmental education as this field emphasizes the crucial role of taking action in various environmental problems. To empower this discipline using this approach, a study was created to extract the dimensions crucial in empowering environmental education in the context of higher education and to develop a corresponding framework that can guide in implementing the essential competencies emphasized in this discipline Theoretical Framework: In this study, the use of affective domain of learning was used as basis of understanding the nature of affective learning in environmental education. Method: To accomplish the objectives of the study, the use of exploratory sequential mixed-method design is used. The use of in-depth interview and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is utilized to extract the dimensions of the study. Moreover, in-depth interviews with 12 participants were conducted first to extract significant statements. These statements were transformed into a questionnaire, which was then tested for reliability and yielded a Cronbach's alpha of 0.920, indicating acceptable internal consistency. The finalized questionnaire was administered to 359 respondents to extract the dimensions. Analysis of the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure and Bartlett’s sphericity indicate acceptable based on the set parameters Results and Discussion: The result shows three reliable dimensions of environmental education affective domain of learning were identified: knowledge generation, environmental action-empowerment, and community engagement. A framework for affective learning in environmental education was developed based on these dimensions. In addition, the developed framework emphasized the key areas and necessary indicators for effective learning in environmental competencies. Research Implications: The findings of the study highlight the crucial role of the extracted dimensions of the affective domain of learning in promoting environmental education in this changing world. Thus, it is suggested that the developed dimensions and framework be incorporated into classroom instruction, learning process, and other areas of environmental education. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by addressing gaps in the integration of affective learning in the realm of environmental education. The framework created serves as a toolkit for addressing crucial issues in environmental education with the help of effective learning to attain sustainable development and the promotion of SDG 4: Quality Education of the United Nations.
... Environmental knowledge pertains to a person's comprehension of elements and objects within the ecosystem (Manucom et al., 2023). "Knowledge of the environment, which is derived from the social sciences, anthropology, and the natural world, must be taught in schools" (Otto & Pensini, 2017). Environmental knowledge is sometimes also tied to ethics, such as values and the establishment of authority (Manucom et al., 2023). ...
... "Environmental knowledge is needed to push the environmentfriendly culture to encourage them to behave wisely toward their surroundings wherever they are" (Michelsen & Fischer, 2017). "Environmental knowledge is used as the basis for an individual in making their choice of activity that is more environmental-friendly" (Otto & Pensini, 2017). Environmental knowledge is also related to proenvironment activity (Zsóka et al., 2013). ...
The purpose of this study is to explore the willingness to reduce plastic waste analyzing the effect of environmental orientation and environmental knowledge. The analysis was conducted at three universities, with respondents being 430 students who are categorized as Gen Z. The universities involved are State University of Surabaya, State Polytechnic of Malang, Indonesia, and College of Local Khon Kaen University, Thailand. Using path analysis, the paper revealed that environmental orientation and environmental knowledge significantly influence the willingness to reduce plastic waste. All variables used in the research model are significant for both the outer and inner models. This study confirms a positive and significant influence on the relationship between independent variables, as well as between independent and dependent variables. All relationships produce T statistic > T table (1.96). Environmental knowledge is positively and significantly influenced by environmental orientation by 32% (TStat = 3.535), willingness to reduce plastic waste (TStat = 6.874) is influenced by environmental orientation by 50%, and willingness to reduce plastic waste (TStat = 5.454) is influenced by environmental knowledge by 41%. The findings of this study are important, considering that Gen Z will be decision-makers not only for personal interests in their consumption behavior but also for Gen Z’s position as policymakers in the future.
... Moreover, in the context of transformative learning, disruptive experiences are discussed to induce so-called edge emotions, to push people out of their comfort zone, eventually leading to a change in their meaning perspectives and an urge to act (Grund et al., 2024;Mälkki, 2019). At the same time, nature connectedness, an affective bond to nature (Mayer & Frantz, 2004), has been repeatedly shown to be integral in motivating people to care for the environment and show pro-environmental behaviour (Barragan-Jason et al., 2022;Otto & Pensini, 2017). ...
... To follow the call from education for sustainable development and environmental psychology (Bianchi et al., 2022;Brosch & Steg, 2021;Kals et al., 1999;Otto & Pensini, 2017;Shephard, 2008), our study focuses on the affective processes in connection with the human-nature relationship induced through embodying nature in iVR. We present data from an investigation that experimentally evoked negative and positive emotions, compassion, and nature connectedness by putting people into the virtual body of a tree. ...
... Children with little prior experience with nature may benefit from educational programs that lower barriers to connecting with non-human species and environments. For example, summer camps (Collado, Staats, and Corraliza 2013;Ernst and Theimer 2011), school-based nature activities (Harvey et al. 2020;Otto and Pensini 2017), and local wildlife conservation programs (Barthel et al. 2018;Shin et al. in press) were found to increase children's CTN. Due to its growing importance, CTN is recognized as one of the main outcomes of environmental programs for children (Frantz and Mayer 2014;Salazar et al. 2021). ...
... Second, children can be educated in ways that improve their understanding of nature. For example, school environmental education, documentary videos, and nature-themed camps are important sources of environmental education during childhood (Collado, Staats, and Corraliza 2013;Cudworth and Lumber 2021;Otto and Pensini 2017). Unlike recreational activities that provide direct contact with nature, educational programs provide technical knowledge from specific instructions and offer indirect or mediated contact with nature (Kellert 2003). ...
... Studies have demonstrated the success of interventions in fostering a stronger connection to nature among adults (Coughlan et al., 2022), which in turn has been linked to increased pro-environmental behaviors (Deville et al., 2021). In addition, longitudinal research shows that interventions can effectively enhance pro-environmental behavior (Otto and Pensini, 2017). ...
... In this context, culinary festivals in nature schools resemble the more structured programs seen in conventional schools, such as the Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS) programs, which include field trips and community visits designed to support holistic student development (Jose & Mathai, 2021). However, culinary festivals in nature schools are distinctive in their emphasis on nature-based learning processes, using the outdoor environment as both a classroom and a resource (Mann et al., 2022;Otto & Pensini, 2017). ...
... Studies show elementary students' environmental behavior remains independent of their environmental knowledge, with emotional sensitivity and connection to nature being more significant behavioral determinantsfactors that may conversely influence their environmental knowledge [9]. Otto & Pensini's [36] research revealed strong correlations between students' environmental knowledge and daily practices; for instance, students receiving targeted EE tended to recycle more and avoid plastic use. ...
This study examines Primary Education teachers’ perceptions regarding the impact of Environmental Education (EE) and Health Education (HE) on students, and how these perceptions influence their teaching practices, with particular focus on differences between kindergarten and elementary school levels. Research indicates that EE is considered crucial for developing responsible environmental behaviors, while HE aims to improve hygiene habits and disease prevention. Teachers at both kindergarten and elementary levels play a pivotal role, as their personal beliefs and training significantly affect the implementation of EE and HE programs. Students participating in EE programs develop knowledge and positive attitudes toward nature, while the integration of health topics promotes healthier lifestyles. Teachers broadly recognize the importance of EE and HE in fostering environmental awareness and healthy habits from early childhood. In kindergarten settings, emphasis is placed on experiential learning activities, whereas elementary school programs focus on deepening knowledge and developing critical thinking skills. However, teachers report facing implementation challenges. This highlights the need for: (1) targeted program design, (2) enhanced teacher professional development, and (3) adequate infrastructure support." Key words: environmental Education, Health Promotion, primary education, teacher perceptions, teaching practices
... Research has found how important are living environments designed to be as similar as possible to natural environments for psychological wellbeing (Berto et al., 2020). Also, a robust tradition of environmental education programs proposes to use experiences in nature to improve children's connectedness to nature to produce an impact on their pro-environmental behavior (Otto and Pensini, 2017;Passafaro et al., 2010;Varela-Candamio et al., 2018). ...
This study investigated the relationship between biophilia, pro-environmental behaviors, and connectedness to nature in Italian preschool children. A total of 196 children (ages 24–65 months) and their parents participated. Children’s biophilia and pro-environmental behaviors were assessed through a role-playing interview, while children connectedness to nature, experiences in the nature, and parents’ pro-environmental behaviors were measured through indirect measures (questionnaires). The interview scores revealed significant positive correlations with children’s connectedness to nature as well as nature exposure reported by parents even if not in every age group. Children’s nature connectedness also correlated with pro-environmental behaviors and marginally, with parents’ pro-environmental behaviors. The results showed that, as expected given the innate component of biophilia, biophilia scores were not significantly different across age groups, while older children engage in more pro-environmental behaviors than younger children, suggesting the significant role of education and socialization. These findings highlight the complexity of assessing preschool children’s biophilia and connectedness to nature, particularly when combining direct measures (child interviews) with indirect measures (parental reports) and underscores the need for further research to refine the conceptualization of these constructs and explore their developmental trajectories.
... Environmental education provides young learners with an understanding of ecological systems, human impacts on the environment and the necessity for responsible resource management [14]. Introducing sustainability concepts to children early is important because this is a critical period in early childhood when children's fundamental beliefs and values are formed. ...
The integration of technology into education has garnered significant interest, particularly in its potential to support environmental sustainability. This exploratory research investigates the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in early childhood education, with a focus on its implementation at Chongqing International Kindergarten to teach sustainability concepts. Guided by Mezirow's Theory of Transformative Learning and Goleman's concept of Ecological Intelligence, the study explores how AI-powered tools-including virtual ecosystems, real-time feedback systems, and eco-conscious behavior tracking mechanisms-enhance critical reflection, foster ecological intelligence, and promote environmentally responsible behaviors among young learners. A qualitative case study approach was employed, incorporating classroom observations, educator interviews, and pre-and post-assessments to evaluate engagement, environmental awareness, and behavioral changes. The findings reveal that AI tools significantly enhance environmental literacy, helping children understand the consequences of their actions and encouraging them to adopt sustainable practices. Interactive and personalized learning experiences AI provides stimulate critical thinking, transform sustainability-related values, and foster a deeper understanding of ecological interconnections. Students demonstrated improved awareness of sustainability concepts, such as resource conservation and biodiversity, alongside increased engagement in eco-friendly behaviors, including recycling and energy conservation. This research highlights the transformative potential of AI in early education, demonstrating its capacity to influence children's attitudes and behaviors toward environmental responsibility. Integrating AI-driven educational tools into sustainability curricula is crucial for cultivating a generation capable of making informed environmental decisions. The study concludes by recommending further exploration of AI's role in early education to optimize its impact on fostering long-term ecological intelligence and transformative learning.
... However, it is understood that all these factors are interconnected and collectively work towards enhancing one's perception, and behavior towards climate change mitigations. Climate change education is also another factor that influences on an individual's perception, and behavior toward climate change mitigations (Otto & Pensini, 2017). Applying effective reality and the possible effects of climate change education can also stimulate an individual's ethical perception towards climate change mitigations and therefore, it must be revised and complemented with the new environmental, political, economic, and cultural variability (Boca & Saraçli, 2019). ...
Universities have adopted curricular-based approaches to address climate change; however, it is still unclear whether they significantly improve individuals’ perceptions and actions toward climate change mitigation. This study was conducted to determine the university curricular-based education on three parameters (climate change, sustainable design, energy conservation), personal interest influence of the perceptions, and behaviour of individuals towards climate change mitigations. Based on the recent survey of university students from three universities in Sri Lanka n = 348. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted by SPSS software to determine the latent and indicator variables of the study and based on the results of the EFA and prepared conceptual model, a structural equation model was developed by IBM AMOS. Furthermore, the developed model was validated through the goodness of fit indices. Results revealed that variables such as field of study, learning from the university, and practical application during the university have not influenced the perceptions of the students towards climate change mitigation. However, their personal interest has influenced their perceptions. It was determined that some of the positive perceptions have influenced the students’ behaviour towards climate change mitigation.
... 10). This perspective aligns with longstanding findings in environmental psychology and environmental education, which have identified a persistent gap between knowledge and pro-environmental behavior (Kollmuss and Agyeman 2002;Otto and Pensini 2017;Liu et al. 2020). Recognizing this gap in previous PISA rounds, the OECD enlisted environmental education scholars to author the Anthropocene report Eames et al. 2024). ...
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has recently deepened its engagement with environmental issues, introducing a new vision in The Agency in the Anthropocene report. This vision underpins the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2025 framework. This study critically examines the new vision, identifying three key advancements: (1) the centrality of the environment, (2) a call for radical societal change, and (3) a proposed shift in worldviews. Notably, this marks the first time the OECD has challenged the dominant worldview rooted in Western individualism. However, a critical omission remains: the lack of measurement tools for assessing students’ worldviews. Despite the availability of established instruments, such as nature connectedness scales, the OECD has yet to incorporate them. Addressing this gap is essential to sustaining the shift in worldviews and refining the new vision’s implementation.
... Additionally, personal interest in environmental issues significantly influences students' proenvironmental behaviours. Otto and Pensini (2017), in their study conducted in Berlin, found that nature-based education not only enhances environmental knowledge but also fosters ecological responsibility. Geographical context also plays a crucial role in shaping students' environmental awareness and behaviours. ...
Environmental problems, notably deforestation and climate change, pose significant threats to humanity and demand urgent intervention. In Ethiopia, where these challenges are pronounced, addressing these issues requires a solid foundation of knowledge and positive attitudes, especially among young people. This study examines secondary school students' level of environmental knowledge and attitudes and the determinants related to deforestation and climate change in the Metekel Zone, Ethiopia. A cross‐sectional survey was used for the study, and a total of 372 secondary school students selected through a multistage sampling technique from seven government secondary schools in the Metekel Zone were participants. Data were collected via standardised tests, questionnaires interviews and focus group discussions, and analysed via descriptive statistics, chi‐square tests and binary logistic regression. The findings revealed that the knowledge levels and attitudes of secondary school students towards environmental issues related to deforestation and climate change were low. The results from the regression model revealed significant correlations between students' knowledge and attitudes, except for personal interest in environmental matters. A notable correlation comprises age, gender, residence, the educational level of the students' parents, the family income level, and the social environment, access to information, the students' grade levels and the students' participation in school‐based environmental clubs. The study also identifies key barriers to students' environmental knowledge and attitudes, including curriculum challenges, resource gaps, low awareness, emotional detachment and limited personal agency. To inspire pro‐environmental behaviours among students, enhancing environmental education in various disciplines to address gender, age and grade level variations, along with proper content integration of deforestation and climate change issues, promoting problem‐solving approaches, strengthening extracurricular activities such as environmental clubs, exposing students to media, fostering partnerships for place‐based learning initiatives, organizing workshops, incorporating localised and experiential learning and providing teachers with specialised training and resources are acclaimed.
... Enhancing education at all age levels is essential. Research indicates that educational programs can increase people's sensitivity to nature and indirectly influence the decision-making knowledge base of urban planners (Otto and Pensini, 2017;Fogg-Rogers et al., 2024). Furthermore, education should inspire positive actions toward nature (Muratet et al., 2015). ...
A widespread challenge of international urban policies is to achieve nature-rich cities. To achieve this aim, scholars and urban planners are developing innovative methods for considering the heterogeneity and geo-specificity of the composition of green infrastructures and their related services in the design of the urban green system. Particularly in urban contexts with a high-density population, urban policies need the engagement of conscious communities to become effective; thence, public administrations need innovative, tailored educational methods to improve inhabitants' awareness. To help the municipalities achieve this goal, we developed a serious game called ESS-Hunt. The paper evaluates the game's educational effectiveness and the suitability of municipal tree cadastre data as its source of information. The game was developed on the Google Maps platform and was played in an urban park of an Italian city (Perugia) involving 135 children aged 10-14. The participants answered the same questionnaire before and after the game to evaluate the learning process, and the paired t-test showed learning progress for all the statements with statistical significance (30 %, p. value < 0.05). Regarding urban policies to improve citizens' awareness about the role of the urban green systems in their well-being, our results highlight as overall principles (i) the suitability of municipal tree cadastre as a source of data to develop educational content, (ii) the effectiveness of serious games in the development of tailored, innovative learning solutions, (iii) and the need to develop differentiated and complementary educational methods to respond to the heterogeneity of local communities learning processes.
... Practitioners have embraced NBL, in all its various forms, for a range of reasons including benefits to child and practitioner wellbeing (Friedman and Morrison 2021;Marchant et al. 2019), increased focus and improved academic attainment (Kuo, Barnes, and Jordan 2019), and the opportunity to provide novel autonomy to students (Friedman et al. 2022). Additionally, in light of the worsening climate crisis, many practitioners turn to NBL to help facilitate a closer connection to nature amongst their students with an aim to increase the likelihood that children will act to protect the environment (Otto and Pensini 2017). Despite these benefits, practitioners often face many barriers when trying to undertake NBL. ...
... (Dasmo et al., 2023), are of the view that the Independent Curriculum is a varied intracurricular learning that provides students with optimal space to explore competencies and concepts. One of the impacts of the implementation of the Independent Curriculum is the combination of science and social studies subjects into Natural and Social Sciences (IPAS) with the hope that students will be able to understand the existence of the natural and social environment simultaneously (Otto & Pensini, 2017). Natural and Social Sciences are sciences that focus on the study of living things and inanimate objects in the universe and their interactions with their surroundings. ...
The mismatch of models and objectives causes students' learning outcomes to vary. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of the Two Stay Two Stray (TSTS) cooperative learning model compared to the Jigsaw type in improving the learning outcomes of science students on the human digestive system material for class V SDIT Mutiara Hati Rembang. This study uses an experimental research type with a quasi-experimental research design in the form of Non-Equivalent Control Group Design. The sample in this study amounted to 54 students. The sampling technique used purposive sampling. Class VB as the control class and class VA as the experimental class. The data collection technique used a test technique in the form of pretest and posttest questions; non-test techniques in the form of interviews, observations, and documentation. The data analysis technique consists of initial data analysis in the form of normality tests and homogeneity tests and final data analysis in the form of t-tests and N-Gain tests. Based on the t-test, the sig. value is 0.013 (<0.05) meaning that Ho is rejected and Ha is accepted. So, there is a significant difference in the effectiveness of the application of the TSTS and Jigsaw learning models on the learning outcomes of science students for class V SDIT Mutiara Hati Rembang. Furthermore, based on the results of the N-Gain test, the control class was 0.46 and the experimental class was 0.56. In conclusion, the TSTS learning model is more effective than Jigsaw on social science learning outcomes
... Effective health promotion initiatives that incorporate nature engagement have not only been shown to boost physical and mental health but to encourage environmental stewardship, thus enhancing health for both individuals and the natural environment (Barragan-Jason et al. 2023, Zelenski et al. 2023. In fact, nature engagement during early adolescence helps cultivate a stronger connection to nature, increases ecological knowledge and a sense of ecological citizenship (Frantz and Mayer 2014, Chawla 2018, Kuo et al. 2019, Larson et al. 2019, and is linked to positive environmental attitudes and behaviours in adulthood (Wells and Lekies 2006, Otto and Pensini 2017, Gray and Pigott 2018, Rosa and Collado 2019, Chawla and Gould 2020, DeVille et al. 2021. Engaging with nature provides opportunities to foster a connection and sense of stewardship towards the environment, while also reinforcing the interconnectedness of human health and planetary health. ...
Becoming nature ‘literate’ may promote nature engagement in early adolescence, supporting both health and well-being, while nurturing a sense of environmental stewardship. This study aimed to advance the formative research necessary for the development of a nature-based literacy framework including a set of indicators specific to its measurement during early adolescence. An e-Delphi study design was used with an expert panel comprised of international academics (n = 18) and practitioners (n = 8). After three rounds, experts agreed key components of nature-based literacy were knowledge, competence, confidence, motivation, experience, connection, and stewardship. The nature-based literacy framework comprehensively represents the intrapersonal factors and related indicators that influence nature engagement, particularly during early adolescence. This will support the development of interventions designed to enhance early adolescent health outcomes, strengthen their connection to nature, and inspire them to value and protect the natural world.
... While nature-based environmental education is an effective teaching strategy, promoting a deeper connection to nature is less commonly incorporated into educational settings (Otto & Pensini, 2017). ...
As more people live in cities, there is growing concern about the decline in human–nature interactions, which negatively affect health and engagement with conservation efforts. Experiencing nature in urban green spaces could counteract this trend. However, access to these spaces is often limited due to a decreasing positive orientation of people towards nature and for people in challenging life circumstances—an important aspect of environmental justice.
This study examines seven programmes promoted by the Berlin Nature Conservation Foundation to foster interactions between people and nature in Berlin, Germany, while highlighting the importance of urban biodiversity. We identify the targeted groups, the types of green spaces used, participation in the programmes, and the challenges and enablers of their implementation.
The programmes target diverse groups, ranging from the general public (Long Day of Urban Nature, Environmental Calendar, Wild Berlin) to green space visitors (Urban Nature Rangers) primary school children (Nemo), children in deprived neighbourhoods (Nature Experience Areas) to people in challenging life circumstances (Nature Companions).
The programmes provide access to a wide range of urban nature, from natural remnants to designed green spaces to novel urban ecosystems. Most programmes provide direct access to urban nature, except for the Wild Berlin video clips and the Environmental Calendar as a multiplicator of nature‐related activities.
In 2023, the number of participants in outdoor programmes ranged from 1400 to 42,000, while website traffic for digital programmes was approximately 10 times higher. Since 2007, 324,000 people have participated in the Long Day of Urban Nature.
Policy implications. Biodiversity conservation depends on support from current and future generations, yet this is challenged by the increasing disconnect between citizens and nature, a key environmental justice issue. This study demonstrates that programmes promoting human–nature interactions, run by a public foundation in collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders, can complement established environmental education by engaging diverse groups, including those facing challenging life circumstances. The multi‐stakeholder governance of the Berlin Nature Conservation Foundation, involving representatives from the legislature, executive and environmental organizations, facilitated the co‐creation and implementation of these programmes with public institutions and civil society actors.
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... Effectively enhancing children's environmental awareness and promoting the formation of their PEB have always been hot topics in environmental protection. The dissemination of environmental knowledge is regarded as an effective method to promote PEB, as it emphasizes systematically teaching environmental knowledge to increase rational awareness of the ecological environment, raise attention to environmental issues, and foster the ability to analyze environmental problems (Otto and Pensini, 2017;Van De Wetering et al., 2022). Theories from rational perspectives, such as the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) Theory, are commonly used to explain the formation mechanisms of PEB in adults (Stern and Dietz, 1994). ...
Introduction
In recent years, China has vigorously promoted sustainable social development, aiming to enhance residents’ environmental protection awareness and encourage their active participation in environmental protection through various means. To achieve this goal, cultivating environmental feelings (EF) among residents has become a key initiative. Childhood nature experiences (CNE) may have a profound impact on pro-environmental behaviors (PEB) in adulthood. However, the specific mechanisms underlying this influence remain unclear.
Methods
This study, viewed through the lens of the biophilia hypothesis, uses EF and environmental contacts (EC) as mediating variables, and environmental risk perception (ERP) as a moderating variable. Statistical analyses, including multiple linear regression, mediation, and moderation analyses, were conducted on data from 1,499 survey responses to explore the mechanisms through which CNE influence PEB in adulthood.
Results
(1) The study shows that CNE do not have a direct effect on PEB in adulthood, but instead exert an indirect influence through EF and EC, with the mediating effect of EF being stronger than that of EC. (2) ERP significantly moderates the relationship between EC and two types of PEB, as well as the link between EF and private sphere pro-environmental behaviors (PRIEB). However, it does not significantly moderate the relationship between EF and public sphere pro-environmental behaviors (PUBEB). (3) ERP significantly moderates most of the mediating effects.
Conclusion
The findings suggest that relying solely on childhood EC does not directly shape adult PEB. Compared to EC, EF play a larger mediating role between CNE and adult PEB. ERP strengthens the mediating effects of both EC and EF. The study emphasizes that both unstructured nature contact and planned, educational outdoor activities during childhood are equally important. Society should provide abundant opportunities for nature experiences, cultivate environmental feelings, and establish a close connection with nature to lay the foundation for developing future participants and advocates for environmental protection.
... For example, the environmental education model of Kaiser, Roczen, and Bogner (2008) demonstrates the mutual influence of these two factors. Moreover, there is circumstantial evidence that connectedness with nature has a significantly higher influence on environmental behaviour than environmental knowledge (Otto and Pensini 2017). Hence, the relevance of this construct for environmental education is very high. ...
... Unconscious consumption harms forest ecosystems. In order to prevent this, pro-environmental behavior and environmental knowledge, which is a prerequisite for pro-environmental behavior, should be increased (Otto & Pensini, 2017). The knowledge, skills and common values that enable sustainable forest management can be gained through forest education (Rekola et al. 2021). ...
This study examined the effects of forest education on the environmental awareness and environmental attitudes of vocational high school students and their self-evaluations toward forest education. The study, in which the mixed research method was adopted, was designed with an explanatory design. Forest education was given within the scope of the experimental study carried out at the quantitative level. The importance of the education was emphasized and forest ecology, eco-social functions of forests, forest products were discussed with an interdisciplinary approach. The study group consists of 32 vocational high school students studying at vocational high schools in different provinces from the Thrace region. Data collection tools are the sustainable environmental awareness scale and environmental attitude scale at the quantitative level and structured interviews at the qualitative level. Related samples t-test was used for quantitative data and content analysis was performed for qualitative data. The results of the study show a permanent increase in environmental awareness and attitude of vocational high school students thanks to forest education. According to the self-evaluations of vocational high school students, it can be said that forest education provides positive environmental and academic contributions to them. Based on the results obtained, it can be suggested that forest education should be given importance to direct qualified intermediate staff candidates who can have a say in human-environment interaction to sustainable pro-environmental behaviors.
... This includes feelings of enjoyment, appreciation, empathy, sympathy, a sense of responsibility for conserving nature, and the perception that humans are interconnected with nature (Brügger et al., 2011;Chawla, 2020;Mayer & Frantz, 2004;Schultz, 2002). A sense of nature connection motivates individual pro-environmental (Barragan-Jason et al., 2022, 2023Beery & Wolf-Watz, 2014;Mackay & Schmitt, 2019;Nisbet et al., 2008;Otto & Pensini, 2017;Tam, 2013) or pro-nature conservation behaviour (Prévot et al., 2018;Richardson et al., 2020). ...
Urban Generation Alpha faces challenges in forming nature connection because of limited access to green spaces and high digital media exposure. Although childhood experiences with nature are crucial for developing a sense of nature connection, there is a limited theoretical and methodological foundation for child–nature interaction design specifically geared towards fostering a sense of nature connection.
To address this gap, this study aimed to understand how urban Generation Alpha in South Korea perceives their nature connection and explore design opportunities to enhance it. We conducted qualitative research in Seoul and Incheon, using semi‐structured interviews with 47 children and 15 parents to explore the sense of nature connection and nature experiences of Generation Alpha.
The results showed that a mismatch between the children's and parents' perceived nature connection, limited and negative nature experiences, and anthropocentric value systems hinder children's sense of nature connection.
In response to this, we proposed the following design opportunities: integrating virtual and vicarious nature experiences with direct experiences could supplement the limited exposure of Generation Alpha to nature and help develop a stronger sense of nature connection; a ludic design tailored to the attitude of children towards nature can overcome negative emotions such as fear or disgust, enhancing positive feelings through playful engagement; and a speculative design that encourages critical thinking can equip Generation Alpha to confront information about environmental problems with ecocentric views and constructive hope.
This research contributes to human–nature interaction design by highlighting the limitations of existing research and informing the development of effective programs and strategies to engage children with nature and foster their sense of nature connection.
... According to Otto and Pensini (2017), the promotion of environmental education is crucial for fostering environmental sustainability and can also play a substantial role in facilitating green growth. Based on the findings of Michelsen and Fischer (2017), it can be argued that the acquisition of education is considered imperative in order to effectively foster both a sustainable environment and economic development. ...
Climate change has emerged as a major threat for developed as well as emerging nations. In order to effectively address this matter, it is imperative to undertake a transition towards a sustainable and environment‐friendly economic model. From an economic standpoint, it is worth noting that green economic growth serves as a mechanism to enhance income levels while preserving the integrity of the environment. Therefore, there is a significant interest among researchers and policymakers to identify the determinants of green growth (GG), with the aim of formulating effective policies to promote sustainable development. In light of this, we probe the impact of education and natural resources on GG in China. The novel augmented autoregressive distributed lag approach reports the long‐run co‐movement between education, natural resources, and GG. Moreover, the results derived from the novel wavelet quantile correlation method indicate that education positively affects GG in both the short‐ and long‐term, across different quantiles. However, in the medium‐term, the impact of education on GG is negative. In both the short‐ and long‐term, natural resources hinder GG, thus providing support for the natural resource curse theory. We present policy recommendations aimed at fostering GG in the Chinese economy. For example, there should be a substantial increase in investment in education to boost GG. Next, access to education is inevitable to attain higher GG; therefore, quality education should be provided at a lower cost.
... of seahorses among participants residing near the Araruama Lagoon might emphasizes the emotional connection and biocentric view of local residents with the lagoon's biodiversity and conservation. In fact, environmental knowledge and connectedness to nature are usually related to ecological behavior (Lundberg et al. 2019;Otto and Pensini 2017). Finally, the more favorable assessment of seahorses by women might underscore their pro-conservation behavior and higher perception of regulating and supporting ecosystem services (Martino 2008;Yang et al. 2018). ...
The flagship species concept is based on the perceived “charisma” of species. While certain attributeshave been proposed to predict charisma, support for conservation of flagship species is often driven bylocal and context-specific factors. The largest hypersaline lagoon in South America has been consideredfor restoration programs after suffering from decades of urban development and pollution. Recently, theseahorseHippocampus reidiwas reported in the lagoon, generating significant public attention. Inspiredby marketing theory, we conducted a study to evaluate people’s preferences for various species inhabitingthe lagoon. In a choice experiment, participants were shown high-resolution photographs of ten species,including the seahorse, and asked to rank their top three preferred species (most preferred = 3, secondmost preferred = 2, and third most preferred = 1), as well as their three least preferred species (leastpreferred = -3, second least preferred = -2, and third least preferred = -1). We calculated a flagshipscore for each species based on these rankings and compared them using ANOVA. The seahorse hada significantly higher flagship score than all other species, with its intrinsic aesthetic beauty being themain reason for its preference according to participants. This interest in seahorses presents a uniqueopportunity to apply the flagship species concept as a conservation fundraising strategy, promoting abiocentric perspective on the largest hypersaline lagoon in South America.
... However, it seems appropriate to support pupils' contact with nature with educational and teaching approaches that establish a link between previous representations, structured outside the school environment, and the experience in the school grounds. The provision of knowledge alone is limited in terms of its impact on the orientation of behaviour and cannot constitute a unilateral path of exploration (Otto and Pensini 2017). Studies highlight the challenges of biodiversity education (Navarro-Perez and Tidball 2012) and the importance of more holistic and transformative approaches (Wolff et al. 2020). ...
In urban areas, the implementation of schoolyard facilities (especially through the greening of these spaces) aims to promote children's contact with nature to improve well-being and increase their awareness of environmental preservation. In this study, we use the prospect of schoolyard landscaping in two French schools to conduct research on pupils’ relationship with nature and well-being at school. We explore cognitive and social mechanisms that affect children's perceptions and behaviour in their relationships with nature on a daily basis and in the school context, with a view toward implementing schoolyard designs. The research aims are (i) to gain a better understanding of the perceptions and uses that shape children's day-to-day interactions, (ii) to document their perceived well-being in the school environment, and (iii) to elicit pupils' views on changes to the school grounds, in order to better understand the characteristics and dynamics underlying the organisation of direct and sensitive relationships with nature. The results of this study are intended to contribute to an understanding of the issues, obstacles and levers involved in implementing schoolyard development projects, and to provide input for a reflective approach to these initiatives. The results show that children's daily experiences of nature are constructed at the convergence of direct contact with the environment and the social framework that supports these interactions. These experiences foster the construction of perceptions and links with the natural environment, which reciprocally feed into further experience. The presence of nature in school grounds directly promotes pupils' perceived well-being; a greater degree of experience and appreciation of nature positively influences it. We observe a lack of explicit recognition of nature's contribution to well-being and examine the social and contextual reasons behind this, as well as the impact on pupils' choices about schoolground planning. We then discuss the limits of urban policies based on schoolyard modifications and explore ways of including social-ecological relationships through children’s participation.
... In order to improve the quality of environmental education, teachers need to provide personalized learning experiences and encourage students to interact with the real world (Mubarak and Khan 2022). More environmental activities and experiences in the natural environment, such as natural field trips (Bravo et al. 2022), place-based instruction (Herman 2018;McClain, Chiu, and Zimmerman 2022), and nature-based environmental education (Otto and Pensini 2017), are recommended. These activities and practices help to strengthen connectedness to nature, provide personal learning experiences, encourage reflection on values and behaviors, facilitate deep learning approaches, and promote engagement in environmental learning (Clark et al. 2020;Howell 2021;Ramsden 1997;Tillmanns 2020;Warburton 2003). ...
The core function of science education is to equip students with scientific literacy, enabling them to understand complex environmental challenges and actively engage in proenvironmental behaviors. Therefore, understanding students' conceptions of environmental education is crucial for advancing environmental education. In this study, we explored undergraduate students' conceptions of environmental education and its relationship to approaches to learning from a phenomenographic perspective. We conducted interviews with 36 undergraduates and identified 5 qualitatively different categories of conceptions of environmental education, namely, “receiving information,” “disseminating and communicating,” “understanding,” “awareness and reflective thinking,” and “solving problems and taking action.” These categories are hierarchically ordered from lowest to highest, reflecting increasing complexity. Specifically, the first two were categorized as passive conceptions, while the last three were classified as active conceptions. Our findings showed that passive and active conceptions were evenly distributed among the students. In addition, a χ ² analysis revealed an observable correlation between students' conceptions and their adopted learning strategies. Particularly, students with more passive conceptions tended to employ surface learning strategies, whereas those with more active conceptions were inclined toward deep learning strategies. The implications of these findings for promoting students' proenvironmental behavior are discussed.
... These questions are particularly important given ongoing climate and ecological crises (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2023) and the ways in which connections to nature are positively associated with pro-environmental care, such as engaging in actions that support environmental preservation and conservation (Otto & Pensini, 2017). Alongside these factors, scholars such as Fiore and Lin (2024) have identified a profound spiritual disjuncture between humanity and our intrinsic connections to the natural world-a detachment that estranges us from the very landscape that has historically sustained us. ...
How young people interpret and engage with nature is an important consideration within our current biodiversity and climate crises. What remains less clear are the ways in which online, networked, spaces underpin young people's relationships with nature, and what consequences these spaces may have for in‐person nature interactions.
Given the ubiquitousness of networked spaces in society, it has been argued that day‐to‐day life is increasingly ‘postdigital’, in that we may no longer distinguish meaningful differences between our online and offline worlds. Therefore, it is necessary to examine this collapsing physical‐digital binary in the context of young people's in‐person interactions with nature to examine the effectiveness of this theoretical perspective.
Utilising ethnographically situated, participant‐as‐observer methods, this qualitative multiple case study generated data across three rural residential outdoor education centres in England, Scotland and Wales, with young people aged 12–17. Participants were visiting the residential centres from urban schools in England and Scotland, with each group spending 5 days at their respective centre.
Reflexive thematic analysis of fieldnote data revealed that young people had previously constructed their understandings and interpretations of what nature ‘is’ through networked environments such as Instagram, TikTok and Minecraft. These networked constructions often contextualised young people's direct, in‐person interactions with nature and demonstrated ways in which these online spaces influenced how nature was perceived and understood. The case is presented for interpreting the findings from a postdigital ‘networked baselines’ perspective.
The findings will resonate with practitioners and policymakers concerned with the relationships between young people, networked spaces and nature connectedness. Alongside this, given the editorial discussion on the impacts of ‘nature on screen’ from Silk et al. (2021) in People and Nature, this paper provides a set of empirical findings on how young people's organic engagements with nature on‐screen provided a degree of foundational knowledge about what nature is, what nature is for and how nature should be engaged with.
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... Environmental knowledge refers to the understanding that individuals or communities have regarding various aspects of the environment, ecology, and sustainable practices (Georgescu and Herman, 2020). It involves information and understanding about environmental issues, the interconnectedness of ecosystems, and the impact of human activities on the natural world (Fawehinmi et al., 2020;Bodhi et al., 2022;Otto and Pensini, 2017). Environmental concern in general is a concept that can refer to feelings about many different green issues (Suki, 2014). ...
To systematically review and synthesize research on green behavior, examining its theoretical foundations, influencing factors, and broader implications for environmental sustainability, a systematic literature review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines, utilizing Scopus and Web of Science databases. The search yielded 130 studies, with 88 meeting the inclusion criteria based on factors like language, peer-review status, theoretical framework, and relevance. The objective is to encapsulate the diversity of theoretical frameworks, methodologies, and empirical findings that define this vibrant area of research. The review delineates the significant surge in scholarly attention towards green behavior, highlighting its emergent role in promoting sustainable environmental practices across various sectors. It provides a nuanced understanding of the drivers, barriers, and outcomes associated with adopting green behaviors, underscoring the complexity of navigating toward sustainability. The analysis reveals a predominant reliance on quantitative methods to explore the phenomena while pointing out the relative scarcity of studies addressing the socioeconomic dimensions underpinning green behavior. This paper identifies critical gaps by offering a holistic view of the academic landscape. It suggests avenues for future research, particularly the need for an integrated approach encompassing environmental, social, and economic considerations. In doing so, it aims to contribute to a more comprehensive discourse on sustainable practices, encouraging multidisciplinary collaborations to address the multifaceted challenges of environmental sustainability.
... According to reports, environmental education encourages learners to lead green lifestyles and deepens their links to the natural world (Otto and Pensini, 2017). Educational institutions can use more environmental education materials to encourage ecological behavior because students' attitudes toward the environment, desires, and behaviors change when they learn about the protection of the natural environment (Begum et al., 2021). ...
This study examined the impact of tutoring [Discussion and Culturo-Techno- Contextual Approach (CTCA)] programs which focused on sustainability and eco-consciousness on students' behavior and attitudes regarding climate change and ecological pollution. In this study, 370 public secondary school students in Nasarawa State, Nigeria were used. The students were grouped into two; group one was tutored using Discussion method while group two was tutored using CTCA method. They were given a pre-test, taught for four weeks (in their various schools with the help of a research assistant) and a post-tested. Climate change achievement tests (CCAT) were carried out with some sets of questions divided into 4 sections. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the respondent’s information and responses to various questions. The findings show that a better fit than an intercept-only linear model significantly predicted global warming score, with goodness-of-fit 2(3) = 3354.86 and Omnibus-Likelihood ratio 2(3) = 18.65, p < 0.05. Students' attitudes towards climate change and ecological pollution based on Discussion method (M=58.58, SD=2.663) and CTCA (M=55.99, SD=3.03) pattern were significant at t(360) = 8.67, p < 0.05. The post-test reported slightly higher levels of score (M=52.24, SD=4.73) than pre-test (M=43.68, SD=7.01) with a statistically significant difference between Discussion and CTCA methods on the combined dependent variables: F (2,359) = 49.21, p<.05. Students' behaviour in terms of retention for Discussion method scores (M=47.91, SD=5.01) and CTCA (M=53.35, SD=4.86) was found to be significant, t(360) =-10.46, p < 0.05. In conclusion, tutoring strategy in educating students concerning environmental sustainability significantly influenced their attitude, and behavior regarding climate change and ecological pollution
This interventional study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a school-based environmental education program on improving knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, and behavior related to air pollution among pupils in low-middle schools in Pristina, Kosovo. Air pollution is a pressing issue in Kosovo, particularly in urban areas, making it essential to raise awareness from an early age. As one of the first initiatives of its kind in the country, this study offers valuable insights into the impact of educational interventions on students’ understanding of environmental issues. The study involved an intervention group of fifth to ninth grade students who participated in a structured environmental education program, with data collected through pre-test, post-test, and follow-up assessment. We used a quantitative questionnaire with four sections—demographics, knowledge, perceptions, attitudes, and behavior. The findings revealed a significant improvement in knowledge and perceptions about air pollution among students in the intervention group, highlighting the crucial role of education in raising environmental awareness. However, the intervention had limited impact on changing attitudes and no significant effect on pro-environmental behavior, echoing challenges found in previous studies. Parental education, particularly maternal education, was found to play a substantial role in shaping attitudes, while gender and parental education positively influenced perceptions. The study also identified a negative association between higher grade levels and both knowledge and perception scores. Despite its success in enhancing knowledge, the short intervention period and challenges in participant engagement limited the program’s ability to drive long-term behavioral change. These findings emphasize the need for more sustained and comprehensive interventions to address the complex relationship between knowledge, attitudes, and environmental behaviors.
Lingkungan alam merupakan salah satu ciri khas yang dikembangkan di sekolah dengan sesuai kebjikan Kementrian Pendidikan Nasional dan Kemendikbud. Oleh karena itu, Materi yang mendasari dengan lingkungan dan tanggung jawab adalah termasuk dalam kurikulum dan disajikan dalam komponen bahan pembelajaran pada setiap jenjang pendidikan disiplin ilmu. Sering diasumsikan bahwa pembelajaran terjadi di dalam kelas Hal-hal yang membosankan, itulah salah satu penyebab rendahnya hasil belajar motivasi dan rendahnya hasil motivasi untuk siswa. Untuk mengatasi masalah tersebut, peneliti menggunakan lingkungan alam mendukung peningkatan hasil belajar siswa. dengan harapan dapat lebih mensyukuri anugerah Tuhan kepada alam semesta ini serta kepedulian daan kepekaan siswa dalam menjaga lingkungan sekitarnya. Tujuan Penelitian ini adalah untuk meningkatkan hasil belajar belajar siswa, dengan siswa lebih inovatif, kreatif, dan produktif untuk mengetahui bagaimana proses pembelajaran dan hasil belajar siswa digunakan untuk menjaga lingkungan sekitarnya. Metode literature review digunakan dalam penelitian ini dengan berbagai sumber yang terfokus pada pengetahuan siswa tentang lingkungannya dalam mempelajari ilmu-ilmu alam. Hasil dari penelitian ini adalah Pengaruh Pemanfaatan Alam Sekitar Terhadap Hasil Belajar Siswa Pada Mata Pelajaran IPA Sebagai media penunjang memegang peranan penting dalam kegiatan belajar mengajar, terbukti siswa lebih banyak memahami materi secara nyata dan memaksimalkan hasil belajar.
This chapter explores the significance of community-based green marketing for sustainable tourism development. The effectiveness of green marketing has already been proven in many spheres. With that in mind, we intend to understand better how it can contribute to communities to achieve sustainable tourism development. Consequently, one looked deeper at the relationship between environmental awareness and environmentally friendly behaviors and the dependency on these two variables in promoting sustainable tourism. Due to the multidimensional nature of the constructs under study, we conducted a narrative review. It allows us researchers to synthesize multiple points of view and harness unique perspectives while still allowing us to introduce rigor and objectivity into the analysis and discussion. The research results contribute to a deeper understanding of tourists' needs when choosing a sustainable (green) destination. They also help communities and their business by providing insights on green products and services that tourists can offer when aiming toward sustainable development. The results represent a theoretical advance for travel and tourism studies and provide valuable insights into how community-based green marketing can work to help communities striving for sustainable tourism development.
Purpose
This paper aims to explore a new direction for higher education (HE) in the Anthropocene era. HE is envisioned as the steward of the safe and just space for the transformation of learner self-identity. Transformative learning for sustainability (LfS) is seen as the main enabler for more ecological self-identities to emerge and the conditions for its successful implementation are discussed. The transformation strategies of the authors own institutions are analysed using SWOT analysis to identify whether they can support the conditions for the emergence of more ecological self-identities and conclusions and ways forward for policy and practice are drawn.
Design/methodology/approach
The theoretical lens of self-identity and its links with planetary health and well-being in the Anthropocene is used to identify the principles of LfS, the conditions for self-identity transformation and the implications for HE policy and practice through integration into a holistic conceptual framework.
Findings
The holistic conceptual framework produced places HE LfS as crucial from moving beyond anthropocentrism towards ecocentrism in the Anthropocene. The analysis of the university strategies emphasises how current policies and practices of transformation are inherently contradictive and could cause unintended consequences in terms of prioritising more individualistic self-identities than more ecological ones.
Originality/value
This paper proposes transformation of learner self-identities as the main aim of HE in the Anthropocene because of the crucial link between self-identities and sustainability. It is the first time self-identity is used as a framework by which to reflect on the role of HE in terms of LfS transformation in the Anthropocene era.
The dissemination of environmental knowledge through education is crucial for fostering awareness of landscape conservation and development. This research investigates the impact of environmental and landscape education on enhancing engagement with the European Natura 2000 Network and the principles of biodiversity conservation. Focusing on young learners, the study assesses an innovative educational approach implemented across seven Italian regions as part of the LIFE "Sic2Sic" project. More than a thousand students were involved, and an analysis of the collected works was conducted, aimed at deepening their understanding and connection to critical environmental issues. The analysis has demonstrated the educational format's efficacy, with the majority of participants completing their assignments to a high standard, displaying significant comprehension, emotional engagement and a profound personal connection to the natural world. Notably, the students' works has reflected a clear grasp of key concepts related to physical landscapes, biodiversity and ecological networks, underscoring the educational approach effectiveness in communicating core messages. The study also highlights the adaptability of this innovative education format across diverse settings, providing to be a valuable resource for sustainability education and transformative change among future generations.
In an increasingly urbanized world, urban biodiversity is people’s
primary contact with nature. However, as cities expand and densify,
urban green and blue spaces and their biodiversity are under pressure,
risking declines in urban liveability. This Review discusses the benefits
of urban biodiversity and the multiple challenges it faces, and identifies
opportunities and pathways towards developing sustainable, biodiverse
cities for both humans and nature. The substantial biological richness
that urban areas can harbour helps to mitigate environmental pressures,
address and adapt to climate change, and benefits human health and
well-being. However, urban biodiversity is challenged by competition
for space, human pressures and the declining engagement of urban
residents with nature. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of
both the benefits and challenges of urban biodiversity informs efforts
to create and maintain high-quality urban blue–green infrastructure.
Biodiversity-sensitive and socially inclusive urban governance and urban
planning are key to developing biodiverse, green cities. Urban policies
should move towards cross-sectional approaches that coordinate
planning for biodiversity and green spaces with sectors such as health,
education, urban planning and design. Developing cities as shared
environments for humans and nature contributes to global biodiversity
conservation and offers solutions to the social and environmental
challenges increasingly faced by cities.
This study investigates the urgency of environmental education in elementary schools to develop students' environmental awareness and character. Using a library research methodology, the analysis draws upon academic articles, policy documents, and reports to explore the theoretical underpinnings and practical implementations of environmental education. The study employs an interdisciplinary approach rooted in educational and environmental theories, such as Tilbury's sustainable education framework and Palmer-Cooper's multidimensional environmental education model. Findings highlight that integrating environmental education into the curriculum fosters cognitive, affective, and behavioral awareness among students, enabling them to connect their actions to broader ecological systems. Project-based learning (PjBL), extracurricular activities, and community collaborations emerge as effective methods for instilling environmental values and practical skills. For example, direct student involvement in waste segregation, tree planting, and energy conservation projects has proven to enhance environmental responsibility and empathy. Furthermore, deficiencies in national policies and infrastructure are identified as barriers to effective environmental education. The study concludes that environmental education at the elementary level is crucial for developing a generation committed to sustainable practices. Recommendations include incorporating environmental education across curricula, training teachers in innovative methods, and enhancing school-community partnerships. These measures aim to transform environmental education into a cultural cornerstone, equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and character to address global environmental challenges effectively. Keywords : Environmental Education; Character Development; Elementary School; Sustainability; Project-Based Learning
Rapid urbanization over the last few decades has resulted in children growing up in cities increasingly disconnected from the natural world. A better understanding of children’s conceptions of nature in cities is needed to try to address this unfortunate trend. This study was conducted within four core districts of Beijing, China, and involved interviewing 81 children aged 8 to 12 years to explore their general, conceptual understanding of nature and accessible nature and how it manifests in their daily lives. Some of these children (N = 54) were involved in a follow-up photo Q-sort task aimed at investigating their perceptions of nature in the city, which required them to sort 33 stimuli photographs in piles according to their perceived “naturalness”. The interview data were content analyzed, while the photo-sorting data were subjected to various statistical analyses, including Multidimensional Scaling (MDS). These analyses identified three distinct ways children perceive nature in the city, reflecting ecological, emotional, and visual values for nature in the city. The findings highlight the influence of personal experiences, education, the media, and evolutional predispositions on children’s constructs of nature. The findings can guide environmental design and education actions aimed at integrating nature in urban settings that align better with the children’s conceptions of nature.
Engaging youth in climate change activism is crucial, particularly in countries where such activism is uncommon. Formal environmental education may play a key role in fostering this engagement. This study evaluated the impact of an educational intervention designed to stimulate general discussion on various contributors to climate change and assess its influence on adolescents’ support for climate activism. The intervention was conducted in four high schools across three administrative regions in Lithuania from October to December 2022, involving 245 adolescents (59.6% female; M = 14.84, SD = 1.29). It included a pre-test, four weekly classes held during regular school hours, a post-test, and a follow-up measurement. Results showed that the intervention increased adolescents’ interest in climate change activism and their self-reported willingness to participate in climate change protests. However, while there was a rise in interest in activism, support for specific activist activities and climate change protests did not significantly change. The analysis also indicated modest effects of gender and school on outcomes. Overall, these findings suggest that environmental education focusing on general topics can enhance some aspects of youth interest in climate activism, though the effects are relatively small.
The urgency of climate change has prompted psychologists to explore the determinants of ethical consumption, highlighting the crucial role of feeling connected to others and to the natural world. This article serves as a pivotal bridge between psychology and consumer law, examining how characteristics of modern societies hinder our intrinsic inclination towards profound connections with nature and humans, thereby perpetuating cycles of overconsumption. Additionally, we delve into the addictive aspects of consumption through the perspective of ego vulnerabilities, while emphasizing the potential of connectedness to others and nature as a catalyst for lasting changes in consumption behaviors. Finally, this article outlines intervention strategies aimed at cultivating deeper sense of connectedness with nature and fellow humans, facilitating a paradigm shift towards ethical consumption across both social and environmental dimensions. Specifically, it explores mindfulness practices oriented towards others and nature, environmental education initiatives for children, and intergenerational programs. These strategies are meticulously examined to provide insight into their potential effectiveness in fostering sustainable consumption behaviors.
“At the core of every moral code there is a picture of human nature, a map of the universe, and a version of history.”
Walter Lippmann, Public Opinion (1922)
In this chapter we discuss the relationship between education and sustainable development. This relationship is one that has two sides: on the one hand education is the indispensable condition if sustainable development is to be successful. But, on the other, the idea of sustainability is also a magnifying glass revealing how the challenges of our era can only be met if education itself changes. Sustainable development provides an innovative and highly relevant approach to rethinking general education at the beginning of the 21st century. We discuss below the origin and development of the concept of education for sustainable development, its defining characteristics, and then present innovative examples of its implementation.
As cognitive knowledge plays a major role in supporting proenvironmental behavior, identification of individual aspects related to knowledge acquisition is essential. Our study monitored knowledge levels before and after a science-based lesson set in relation to self-reported behavior and attitudinal preferences (attitudes towards environmental Preservation and Utilization) of 190 students (M age ± SD: 15.96 ± 0.55; 51.1% female). A knowledge questionnaire was completed once before and twice after participation. Additionally, (i) the 2-MEV (two Major Environmental Values) and (ii) the GEB (General Ecological Behavior) were applied. Girls showed higher Preservation but lower Utilization attitudes than boys did. Learning success was positively related to Preservation preferences (for girls) as well as to behavior-based scores (for girls and boys). For boys, high preferences in Utilization were negatively correlated with learning achievement.
This study explores the relationships between adults' childhood nature exposure (NE), current NE, and mental well-being. Correlational data from two countries (Australia and Germany) found positive relationships between both childhood and current NE and numerous mental well-being indicators. However, the contribution of childhood NE was indirect, through its relationship to current NE. The German study also assessed ecological behavior and connectedness to nature, and although childhood NE maintained a marginal relation to both these variables, current NE was also precedent in these domains. The relationships between NE and mental well-being and ecological behavior were both mediated by connectedness to nature. Thus, for the mental well-being of humans and protection of the earth, nature exposure should be encouraged and maintained later in life.
The effects of income on environmentally significant behavior (i.e., behavior that does have an effect on the environment, such as traveling and waste disposal) have been strong but equivocal. The relation between knowledge and environmentally significant behavior has attracted even greater interest, but relations have been weak and explanations diverse. These findings have been based on samples in industrialized countries with relatively narrow income distributions, and this may have attenuated a clear understanding of the relations between income, environmental knowledge, and environmentally significant behavior. Using a Chilean sample (N = 1785) with a relatively wide income distribution, we found a parsimonious explanation for the ambiguous results of previous studies. Income had a much stronger and differential effect on environmentally significant behaviors, suggesting that when income affects the situation that influences behavior, it trumps knowledge or attitudes.
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Environmental organizations and natural resource agencies often seek education and communication strategies to encourage effective conservation behaviors. This paper extends the discussion from the Conservation Psychology Dialogue in May 2002 to define two broad avenues for activities that may nudge individuals and society toward more responsible environmental behaviors: the specific route of changing behavior with social marketing tools and the general route of cultivating environmental literacy through educational programs. A review of the research literature identifies some of the factors that encourage targeted behaviors and factors that contribute to environmental literacy. Strategies related to implementing programs in both areas are offered. Behavior change strategies include: ways of tailoring a message to the audience, types of information to provide, and methods for creating commitment. Ideas for how to promote environmental literacy can be found in research concerning significant life experiences and environment-based education.
The goal of environmental education is ultimately to enable a person to strive for and to attain a more ecological way of life. In this article, we begin by distinguishing three forms of environmental knowledge and go on to predict that people's attitude toward nature represents the force that drives their ecological behavioral engagement. Based on data from 1,907 students, we calibrated previously established instruments to measure ecological behavior, environmental knowledge, and attitude toward nature with Rasch-type models. Using path modeling, we corroborated our theoretically anticipated competence structure. While environmental knowledge revealed a modest behavioral effect, attitude toward nature turned out to be, as expected, the stronger determinant of behavior. Overall, we propose a competence model that has the potential to guide us into more evidence-based ways of promoting the overall ecological engagement of individuals.
For many societies, the prime political strategy for mitigating climate change has been to improve the efficiency of technology (e.g., cars, light bulbs, and refrigerators). However, World Bank data suggest that the per-capita energy consumption of societies is leveling off rather than falling. Thus, all efficiency gains are apparently eaten up by rebound. In our psychological account of this ubiquitous rebound phenomenon, we argue that individual consumption is genuinely rational (i.e., benefit-oriented) and grounded in an unlimited number of personal ends (i.e., goals and desires). Behavior and technology – the latter as an amplifier of individual behavior – are means for satisfying personal ends. Predictably, any gains in efficiency as evidenced by savings of time and/or money will be reinvested in further as-yet-unmet personal ends of individuals. Consequently, rebound is the norm and not the exception. The challenge to psychologists is thus, as we argue in this article, to motivate individuals to act comparatively more irrationally (by generally forgoing personal benefits), and by doing so, to eventually reduce the overall energy consumption of societies. Only when people are intrinsically motivated to forgo commodities, convenience, and other personal benefits can rebound be avoided.
Structural equation modeling (SEM) is a vast field and widely used by many applied researchers in the social and behavioral sciences. Over the years, many software pack-ages for structural equation modeling have been developed, both free and commercial. However, perhaps the best state-of-the-art software packages in this field are still closed-source and/or commercial. The R package lavaan has been developed to provide applied researchers, teachers, and statisticians, a free, fully open-source, but commercial-quality package for latent variable modeling. This paper explains the aims behind the develop-ment of the package, gives an overview of its most important features, and provides some examples to illustrate how lavaan works in practice.
A connection to nature index was developed and tested to measure children’s affective attitude toward the natural environment. The index was employed through a survey that investigates students’ attitude toward Lagoon Quest, a mandatory environmental education program for all fourth-grade, public school students in Brevard County, Florida. Factor analyses were conducted to explore and confirm different factors in the connection to nature index. A path analysis was conducted to examine the association among variables. The results suggest four dimensions in the children’s connection to nature index: (a) enjoyment of nature, (b) empathy for creatures, (c) sense of oneness, and (d) sense of responsibility. Children’s connection to nature influences their intention to participate in nature-based activities in the future. Children’s connection to nature, their previous experience in nature, their perceived family value toward nature, and their perceived control positively influenced their interest in performing environmentally friendly behaviors.
Two reliable and valid instruments to assess first- and second-grade children's (N = 100, M = 6.8 years) environmental attitudes and behaviors are presented. A series of games derived primarily from dimensions of the new ecological paradigm theory of environmental attitudes are described for the assessment of environmental attitudes. The games include felt board construction, a board game, and an adjustable worry thermometer. Environmental behaviors are assessed in the same sample using magnitude estimation (jumping different distances to indicate frequency of engagement in behavior) based on an adoption of Kaiser's General Environmental Behavior Scale for adults. The behavior scale employs a Rasch measurement model because environmental behaviors are viewed as a consequence of attitudes in concert with difficulties to implement actions.
Measures of proenvironmental behavior in psychological studies do not always reflect the actual environmental impact of a person or household. Therefore, the results of these studies provide little insight into variables that could be helpful in reducing household environmental impact. In this article, an environmentally significant measure of household consumer behavior (i.e., combined direct and indirect energy use) is presented and compared with a common social science measure of proenvironmental behavior (based on popular notions of environmentally significant behavior). Two large-scale field studies were conducted among representative samples of Dutch households. The results showed respondents who indicate they behave more proenvironmentally do not necessarily use less energy. Also, proenvironmental behavior is more strongly related to attitudinal variables, whereas household energy use is primarily related to variables such as income and household size. More multidisciplinary research seems necessary to identify variables that influence the actual environmental impact of household consumer behavior.
Recent analyses of the field of environmental education research have highlighted its rapidly expanding size and increasingly diverse nature (e.g. Hart & Nolan, 1999). This article reports on a review of a particular part of this field - namely, recent empirical studies of learners and learning in primary or secondary school environmental education. The review focuses specifically on the nature and quality of the evidence generated by the work in this area. The concern with evidence is motivated by the tendency of previous reviews to focus on methodological trends more than research findings. Claims have also been made that environmental education theory and research have overlooked 'the children who are the subjects of environmental education' (Payne, 1998a, p. 20). This review contends that efforts to address such shortcomings need to be informed by a thorough and grounded understanding of what studies have, and have not, been undertaken on students and learning, and what is known, and not known, from the evidence that these studies have generated. In its methods, the review seeks to be systematic, comprehensive and analytical. Its findings are based on careful scrutiny of over 100 journal articles, books and reports, published between 1993 and 1999. It proposes that the current evidence base on learners and learning can be understood in terms of six concentrations or nodes of evidence. Three of these are well established (students' (i) environmental knowledge (ii) environmental attitudes and behaviours, and (iii) environmental learning outcomes), while three can be regarded as emerging (students' (i) perceptions of nature, (ii) experiences of learning, and (iii) influences on adults). The recent research evidence and key messages associated with each of these nodes are discussed in successive sections of the review. Overall, the review suggests that the evidence base on learners and learning, while considerable in size, is less diverse in terms of methodological and theoretical approaches than the wider environmental education research field within which it is situated. The evidence base also provides more information about students' environmental knowledge and attitudes than about their educational experiences and preferences, and more about learning outcomes than about learning processes . These characteristics, however, are not static. The research and evidence base on learners and learning is developing and changing as new foci emerge, bringing with them different methodological and conceptual approaches. The review identifies issues and challenges arising from the recent evidence on learners and learning for research users, researchers and future reviews of the field. As well as highlighting possible practical implications of the research, it makes a case for studies focused more explicitly on learning and the role learners play within this process. It also suggests a need for user reviews as well as academic reviews in the field of environmental education.
The authors explored the influences of 3- and 5-day residential environmental education programs at the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont (TN) on participants' connections with nature, environmental stewardship, interest in learning and discovery, and awareness of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and biodiversity. The authors found significant positive, short-term effects on all outcomes of interest. Also, 3-month delayed posttests indicated retention of significant gains in environmental stewardship and awareness, whereas other gains faded. Longer stays and active engagement of visiting teachers in on-site instruction enhanced most outcomes. The authors discuss the influences of previsit preparation and group size on participants.
One aim of environmental education is fostering sustainable environmental action. Some environmental behaviour models suggest that this can be accomplished in part by improving people’s knowledge. Recent studies have identified a distinct, psychometrically supported environmental knowledge structure consisting of system, action-related and effectiveness knowledge. Besides system knowledge, which is most often the focus of such studies, Frick et al. (2004) have suggested incorporating the other knowledge dimensions into environmental education to enhance effectiveness. Our study is among the first to implement these dimensions together in an educational campaign and to use these dimensions to evaluate the effectiveness of a programme on water issues. We designed a four-day environmental education programme on water issues for students at an educational field centre. We applied a newly developed multiple-choice instrument using a pre-, post-, retention test design. The knowledge scales were calibrated with the Rasch model. In addition to the commonly assessed individual change in knowledge level, we also measured the change in knowledge convergence, the extent to which the knowledge dimensions merge as a person's environmental knowledge increases, as an innovative indicator of educational success. Following programme participation, students significantly improved in terms of the amount learned in each knowledge dimension and in terms of the integration of the knowledge dimensions. The effectiveness knowledge shows the least gain, persistence and convergence, which we explain by considering the dependence of the knowledge dimensions on each other. Finally, we discuss emerging challenges for educational researchers and practical implications for environmental educators.
Three studies examine the effects of exposure to nature on positive affect and ability to reflect on a life problem. Participants spent 15 min walking in a natural setting (Studies 1, 2, & 3), an urban setting (Study 1), or watching videos of natural and urban settings (Studies 2 & 3). In all three studies, exposure to nature increased connectedness to nature, attentional capacity, positive emotions, and ability to reflect on a life problem; these effects are more dramatic for actual nature than for virtual nature. Mediational analyses indicate that the positive effects of exposure to nature are partially mediated by increases in connectedness to nature and are not mediated by increases in attentional capacity. The discussion focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the exposure to nature/well-being effects.
Numerous theoretical frameworks have been developed to explain the gap between the possession of environmental knowledge and environmental awareness, and displaying pro-environmental behavior. Although many hundreds of studies have been undertaken, no definitive explanation has yet been found. Our article describes a few of the most influential and commonly used analytical frameworks: early US linear progression models; altruism, empathy and prosocial behavior models; and finally, sociological models. All of the models we discuss (and many of the ones we do not such as economic models, psychological models that look at behavior in general, social marketing models and that have become known as deliberative and inclusionary processes or procedures (DIPS)) have some validity in certain circumstances. This indicates that the question of what shapes pro-environmental behavior is such a complex one that it cannot be visualized through one single framework or diagram. We then analyze the factors that have been found to have some influence, positive or negative, on pro-environmental behavior such as demographic factors, external factors (e.g. institutional, economic, social and cultural) and internal factors (e.g. motivation, pro-environmental knowledge, awareness, values, attitudes, emotion, locus of control, responsibilities and priorities). Although we point out that developing a model that tries to incorporate all factors might neither be feasible nor useful, we feel that it can help illuminate this complex field. Accordingly, we propose our own model based on the work of Fliegenschnee and Schelakovsky (1998) who were influenced by Fietkau and Kessel (1981).
Background
Structural equation modeling developed as a statistical melding of path analysis and factor analysis that obscured a fundamental tension between a factor preference for multiple indicators and path modeling’s openness to fewer indicators.
Discussion
Multiple indicators hamper theory by unnecessarily restricting the number of modeled latents. Using the few best indicators – possibly even the single best indicator of each latent – encourages development of theoretically sophisticated models. Additional latent variables permit stronger statistical control of potential confounders, and encourage detailed investigation of mediating causal mechanisms.
Summary
We recommend the use of the few best indicators. One or two indicators are often sufficient, but three indicators may occasionally be helpful. More than three indicators are rarely warranted because additional redundant indicators provide less research benefit than single indicators of additional latent variables. Scales created from multiple indicators can introduce additional problems, and are prone to being less desirable than either single or multiple indicators.
Pleasurable experiences in nature are suspected to promote a personal connection with nature, and subsequently, nature conservation in individuals. Using an Internet-based survey employing a convenience sample of the general population (N = 1,309), we developed a connection-with-nature instrument that relies on only simple self-reflection. That is, connection with nature is indirectly derived from inspecting reports of past bonding activities and responses to evaluative statements reflecting an appreciation of nature. As such, our instrument is intellectually easy and not particularly taxing to respond to. Although conceptualized as an attitude, our new Disposition to Connect with Nature scale converged with other connection-with-nature measures – with only one exception – and, simultaneously, turned out to be technically superior with regard to accuracy and validity.
This article contends that while striving to promote environmentallyresponsible behavior, we have focused attention too narrowly on just two classes of motives. There is a need to expand the range of motives available to practitioners and to provide a framework within which motives can be evaluated for both their immediate and long-term effectiveness. The article then examines a strategy for promoting environmentally responsible behavior that has significant potential. This strategy is based on a particular form of motivation called intrinsic satisfaction. Nine studies are reviewed that have outlined the structure of intrinsic satisfaction. A key theme discussed is the human inclination for competence. This fundamental human concern is shown to have both a general form and a resource-specific version.
This article reviews and evaluates the effectiveness of interventions aiming to encourage households to reduce energy consumption. Thirty-eight studies performed within the field of (applied) social and environmental psychology are reviewed, and categorized as involving either antecedent strategies (i.e. commitment, goal setting, information, modeling) or consequence strategies (i.e. feedback, rewards). Particular attention is given to the following evaluation criteria: (1) to what extent did the intervention result in behavioral changes and/or reductions in energy use, (2) were underlying behavioral determinants examined (e.g. knowledge, attitudes), (3) to what extent could effects be attributed to the interventions and, (4) were effects maintained over longer periods of time? Interestingly, most studies focus on voluntary behavior change, by changing individual knowledge and/or perceptions rather than changing contextual factors (i.e. pay-off structure) which may determine households’ behavioral decisions. Interventions have been employed with varying degrees of success. Information tends to result in higher knowledge levels, but not necessarily in behavioral changes or energy savings. Rewards have effectively encouraged energy conservation, but with rather short-lived effects. Feedback has also proven its merits, in particular when given frequently. Some important issues cloud these conclusions, such as methodological problems. Also, little attention is given to actual environmental impact of energy savings. Often, an intervention's effectiveness is studied without examining underlying psychological determinants of energy use and energy savings. Also, it is not always clear whether effects were maintained over a longer period of time. Recommendations are given to further improve intervention planning and to enhance the effectiveness of interventions.
Knowledge is commonly seen as a necessary precondition for a person’s behavior. Consistent with this, most educational interventions rely on knowledge transfer. However, for the most efficient informational strategies for education, it is essential that we identify the types of knowledge that promote behavior effectively and investigate their structure. A questionnaire consisting of three environmental knowledge scales and a conservation behavior measure was sent to 5000 randomly selected Swiss adults. A completed questionnaire was returned by 55% of them (N=2736). A series of structural equation analyses indicates that the three knowledge forms exert different influences on conservation behavior: Action-related knowledge and effectiveness knowledge have a direct effect on performance. In contrast, system knowledge is more remote from behavior, exerting only a mediated influence on it by way of affecting the other two knowledge types.
Environmental quality strongly depends on human behaviour patterns. We review the contribution and the potential of environmental psychology for understanding and promoting pro-environmental behaviour. A general framework is proposed, comprising: (1) identification of the behaviour to be changed, (2) examination of the main factors underlying this behaviour, (3) design and application of interventions to change behaviour to reduce environmental impact, and (4) evaluation of the effects of interventions. We discuss how environmental psychologists empirically studied these four topics, identify apparent shortcomings so far, and indicate major issues for future research.
Five studies assessed the validity and reliability of the connectedness to nature scale (CNS), a new measure of individuals’ trait levels of feeling emotionally connected to the natural world. Data from two community and three college samples demonstrated that the CNS has good psychometric properties, correlates with related variables (the new environmental paradigm scale, identity as an environmentalist), and is uncorrelated with potential confounds (verbal ability, social desirability). This paper supports ecopsychologists’ contention that connection to nature is an important predictor of ecological behavior and subjective well-being. It also extends social psychological research on self–other overlap, perspective taking, and altruistic behavior to the overlap between self and nature. The CNS promises to be a useful empirical tool for research on the relationship between humans and the natural world.
The goal of the present paper is a replication as well as an extension of the Hines et al. [(1986/87). Analysis and synthesis of research on responsible environmental behaviour: A meta-analysis. Journal of Environmental Education, 18, 1–8] meta-analysis on psycho-social determinants of pro-environmental behaviour. Based on information from a total of 57 samples the present meta-analysis finds mean correlations between psycho-social variables and pro-environmental behaviour similar to those reported by Hines et al. In a second step, the matrix of pooled correlations is used for a structural equation modelling (SEM) test of theoretically postulated structural relations between eight determinants of pro-environmental behaviour (so-called Meta-analytic SEM (MASEM)). MASEM results confirm that pro-environmental behavioural intention mediate the impact of all other psycho-social variables on pro-environmental behaviour (27% explained variance). Results also confirm that besides attitude and behavioural control personal moral norm is a third predictor of pro-environmental behavioural intention (52% explained variance). The MASEM also indicates that problem awareness is an important but indirect determinant of pro-environmental intention. Its impact seems to be mediated by moral and social norms, guilt and attribution processes.
Science, engineering, and technology permeate nearly every facet of modern life and hold the key to solving many of humanity's most pressing current and future challenges. The United States' position in the global economy is declining, in part because U.S. workers lack fundamental knowledge in these fields. To address the critical issues of U.S. competitiveness and to better prepare the workforce, A Framework for K-12 Science Education proposes a new approach to K-12 science education that will capture students' interest and provide them with the necessary foundational knowledge in the field. © 2012 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Deep learning is a key strategy by which students extract meaning and understanding from course materials and experiences. Because of the range and interconnectedness of environmental, social and economic issues, and the importance of interdisciplinary thinking and holistic insight, deep learning is particularly relevant in the context of education for sustainability. However, deep learning can be inhibited if the existing interests or backgrounds of students have a strong disciplinary focus. This paper reviews factors that influence deep learning and discusses some ways in which environmental educators can encourage students to use deep learning strategies. Such strategies are seen to be necessary to maximise the benefits from environmental courses and are likely to foster creative interdisciplinary approaches to sustainability beyond the institution.
This article is at www.rasch.org/rmt/rmt83b.htm
Despite the wealth of information which exists concerning environmental behavior, it is not known which variable or variables appear to be most influential in motivating individuals to take responsible environmental action. A meta-analysis of environmental behavior research was undertaken in an attempt to determine this. An exhaustive search of the empirically based environmental behavior research conducted over the past decade yielded a substantial number of studies representative of a broad academic base. The characteristics and findings of these studies served as the data for the meta-analysis. As a result of the meta-analysis, the following variables were found to be associated with responsible environmental behavior: knowledge of issues, knowledge of action strategies, locus of control, attitudes, verbal commitment, and an individual's sense of responsibility. A model of predictors of environmental behavior is proposed.
Mindfulness reflects heightened awareness and attention to the present moment, in both experience and behavior. Research has begun to examine mindfulness in the domain of pro-environmental behavior, and documents positive relationships with connectedness to nature, and engagement in pro-environmental behavior. Two independent studies with two different samples were conducted to test the study hypotheses. It was hypothesized that mindfulness would be significantly correlated with self-reported pro-environmental behavior (Hypothesis 1) and that that connectedness to nature indirectly effects the relationship between mindfulness and pro-environmental behavior (Hypothesis 2). Participants completed measures of mindfulness across five facets, connectedness to nature, and their engagement in 17 daily pro-environmental behaviors. Results support Hypothesis 1 in that mindfulness is significantly associated with pro-environmental behavior (Study 1 and 2). Results also support Hypothesis 2 in that connectedness to nature indirectly effects the relationship between mindfulness and pro-environmental behavior (Study 1 and 2). Post hoc analyses reveal that the facets of observing and nonreactivity are particularly important in the context of pro-environmental behavior (Study 2). We discuss these findings as they relate to the conceptualization of mindfulness as a means of behavioral regulation.
The positive relation between age and ecological behavior is virtually unchallenged and widely corroborated. Nevertheless, there is no theoretical account in the literature to explain why people engage in environmental protection at higher levels as their lives progress. However, knowing the origins of behavior change—amendment in particular—is crucial for learning how to effectively promote the ecological performance of individuals. In this research, we compared two alternative theoretical explanations: maturation versus learning. Using two large samples (N = 779, N = 2,317) assessed almost a decade apart, we found that learning rather than maturation explained the relation between age and self-reported ecological behavior. The more exposed people are to information that deals with environmental-conservation-relevant topics, the more pronounced their ecological engagement. To date, our finding is one of the few that supports learning and, thus, the efficacy of (environmental or social) knowledge in promoting the ecological performance of individuals.
This paper examines the residual-based fit statistics commonly used in Rasch measurement. In particular, the paper analytically examines some of the theoretical properties of the residual-based fit statistics with a view to establishing the inferences that can be made using these fit statistics. More specifically, the relationships between the distributional properties of the fit statistics and sample size are discussed; some research that erroneously concludes that residual-based fit statistics are unstable is reviewed; and finally, it is analytically illustrated that, for dichotomous items, residual-based fit statistics provide a measure of the relative slope of empirical item characteristic curves. With a clear understanding of the theoretical properties of the fit statistics, the use and limitations of these statistics can be placed in the right light.
Nature is often anthropomorphized in the environmental discourse. However, whether anthropomorphism of nature has any impact on the way people relate to and behave toward nature has rarely been examined. With three experiments, the present research addresses this issue. It shows that in general anthropomorphism of nature fosters conservation behavior. Moreover, when nature is anthropomorphized, people feel more connected to it; this sense of connectedness mediates the association between anthropomorphism of nature and conservation behavior. These findings contribute to the understanding of anthropomorphism and that of human–nature relationship. They also bear practical implications for environmental promotion. Future research directions are identified.
Traditionally, the focus in environmental education is on theoretically derived ecology-unspecific abilities (e.g., critical thinking). Such general abilities are, however, behavior-distal and thereby often found to be empirically rather irrelevant to individual performance. By contrast, our competence model is grounded in the ecology-specific abilities "environmental knowledge" and "people's connectedness with nature", both of which have been identified to empirically augment individual conservation behavior. In this paper, we argue for an evidence-based competence model whose real-life attainment is to ecologically improve the entire consumption pattern of individuals. From our review of the literature, we conclude that competence formation in environmental education--next to advancements in knowledge and in people's enjoyable experiences in nature--should preferably also involve knowledge integration and, thus, structural development.
The ‘Inclusion of Nature in Self’ scale (INS) was applied to monitor shifts in reported connectedness with nature within the framework of a school-based environmental education programme. One hundred and twenty-three German students (sixth-graders) participated in a one-day module, which included hands-on indoor (classroom) and outdoor (nearby woods) implementation. Additionally, a control group (n = 116) did not participate in our intervention at all. Seven types of shifts in students’ subjective connectedness with nature before and after project participation were analysed and discussed. Individual initial connectedness and a variety of short- and long-term connectedness shifts indicate the necessity of a needs-oriented environmental education. The reliability of the INS scale as a rapid assessment for improving school-based fieldwork settings is confirmed.
Besides cognitive learning effects, short-term environmental education (EE) is often regarded as ineffective in intervening with participants' environmental attitudes and behaviour. However, in Germany, school classes often participate in such 1-day EE programmes because they better match the school curriculum in contrast to longer (residential) programmes. We therefore monitored a 1-day outreach EE programme on global climate change to reveal whether environmental attitudes and/or connectedness with nature of tenth graders are affected. Students from German high schools (college preparatory secondary school level, ‘Gymnasium’) (N = 114) from age 14 to 19 participated in the programme (treatment group). It consisted of two student-centred learning units on the topic of climate change. Additionally, we chose a control group of students who did not participate in the programme. To measure students' environmental attitudes and connectedness with nature, we administered the Two Major Environmental Values (2-MEV) and the Inclusion of Nature in Self scale in a pre-, post- and retention test design. The pre-test was administered 1 week before, the post-test directly after and the retention test 4 to 6 weeks after programme participation. Analyses revealed a positive long-term effect only for utilitarian values (one of the two major environmental factors of 2-MEV) which decreased significantly. Therefore, depending on the programme's content, short-term EE programmes indeed may have an influence on participants' environmental attitudes.
Nature-protective behavior cannot be sufficiently explained using a pure rational/cognitive approach. Therefore, in a questionnaire study (N = 281), the focus was on emotional motivations of this behavior, especially on a newly conceptualized construct: emotional affinity toward nature. All constructs were measured by reliable and valid scales. Multiple regression analyses reveal that (a) emotional affinity is as powerful to predict nature-protective behavior as indignation and interest in nature and together these three predictors explain up to 47% of variance of the criterion variables, and (b) 39% of emotional affinity toward nature traces back to present and past experiences in natural environments. The resulting integrative path model is discussed. Theoretical conclusions are drawn, and options for practical intervention are derived.
Different environmental educational programmes (field trips, hiking, camps, adventure activities) are, through personal experiences, aimed to develop pupils’ affective relationship to the natural environment, their environmental sensitivity and outdoor behaviour, as well as their social relationships. The present study discusses the results of experiences from outdoor activities involving 11-12-year-old pupils in Rovaniemi and Vaasa. The qualitative research methods comprise case studies involving questionnaires, individual interviews, drawings, photographs of landscapes, and participant observations during camps.
Nature experiences developed the pupils’ self-confidence and feelings of safety in particular, which in turn increased their willingness to participate in future outdoor activities. In this way nature began to get new meanings for them on a personal level. Comparing pupils who were experienced in outdoor activities to pupils who were not, it was found that the former seemed to have a strong and clearly definable empathic relationship to nature. They also exhibited better social behaviour and higher moral judgements. Reasons for conflicts between environmental attitudes and action, still observable in some experienced boys of the Vaasa group, are discussed in terms of conscious versus unconscious action and applied knowledge. The role and possibilities of outdoor education in environmental education and natural studies are emphasised in schools as well as teacher education.
In 1990, Congress passed the National Environmental Education Act, thereby charging the United States Environmental Protection Agency with providing national leadership to increase environmental literacy. Since the first appropriation in 1992, almost $100M has been spent to increase the public's awareness of environmental issues; nevertheless, the author believes that the Act is outdated and was not written to provide for systemic change. With the recently increased attention to global warming and climate change, many in the environmental education field believe that environmental education is a critical tool for engaging the public and that opportunities exist to increase resources. The author suggests that now may be the time to consider new environmental education legislation that is more systemic in nature and that provides substantive increases in funding for national-level grants, educator training, and research initiatives. The author also suggests broadening the scope of strategic-level conversations to include sectors beyond the education community.
In this meta-analysis the author compared the effectiveness of educational interventions (N = 18) conducted in classrooms and in nontraditional settings in improving environmental behavior. Classroom interventions improved environmental behavior more effectively (r = .65) than interventions in nontraditional settings (r = .27). Interventions that most effectively improved environmental behavior actively involved participants and used young participants. Active participation was more likely in interventions implemented in classrooms than in nontraditional settings. However, few of these studies measured actual behavior, and often poor research methods were used.
Disconnection from the natural world may be contributing to our planet's destruction. The authors propose a new construct, Nature Relatedness (NR), and a scale that assesses the affective, cognitive, and experiential aspects of individuals' connection to nature. In Study 1, the authors explored the internal structure of the NR item responses in a sample of 831 participants using factor analysis. They tested the construct validity of NR with respect to an assortment of environmental and personality measures. In Study 2, they employed experience sampling methodology examining if NR people spend more time outdoors, in nature. Across studies, NR correlated with environmental scales, behavior, and frequency of time in nature, supporting the reliability and validity of NR, as well as the contribution of NR (over and above other measures) to environmental concern and behavior. The potential of NR as a useful method for investigating human-nature relationships and the processes underlying environmental concern and behaviors are discussed.
Socially desirable responses have been widely discussed as potentially biasing self-reported measures of environmental attitude and behaviour assessment. The direct and moderating effect of social desirability on children has not been analysed before. By applying a Lie scale together with a two-factor environmental attitude set measure and a scale of self-reported General Ecological Behaviour (GEB) to 198 pupils, we found a moderate impact of Lie scores on only one of both attitude measures and a small impact on GEB. In a multiple regression analysis general behaviour was predicted by attitude, social desirability, and the interaction of both. Social desirability had no moderating effect on the relationship between environmental attitudes and behaviour. Implications of these outcomes for research on environmental issues with children are discussed.
This [textbook] helps establish important new links between environmental science and behavioral science. It develops a framework for addressing key questions about human behaviors that harm the environment, summarizes knowledge from psychology and related fields about these behaviors, and uses that knowledge to point the way to realistic solutions.
This book develops a framework for addressing these questions, drawing on behavioral theory, real world case studies, field experiments, and other evidence. Because its central focus is individual behavior, it draws most heavily on concepts from social, cognitive, and behavioral psychology. However, it puts behavior in the context of the economic, institutional, and policy forces that shape it and emphasizes arenas where individual action makes a real difference to the natural environment. The result is an interdisciplinary treatment, rooted in behavioral science but addressing practical issues of environmental policy.
The book is written at a level suitable for undergraduate students in psychology, social science, and environmental studies and science. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Using the Implicit Association Test (IAT), we examined the tendency for people to associate self with natural or built environments, the malleability of these scores across context, and the relationship between these implicit associations and explicit attitudes about environmental issues. Five studies are reported using a handheld IAT administration in a variety of field contexts. The psychometric properties of the handheld administration were comparable to those obtained with laboratory administration. The cumulative results across the 5 studies suggest that implicit self–nature associations are malleable, but that change requires long-term or repeated experiences. Findings are interpreted within a model of environmental identity.
Four studies are reported on the structure of environmental attitudes. Based on Stern & Dietz' (1994) value-basis theory for environmental attitudes, we predicted that concerns for environmental issues would form three correlated factors. The first study presents the results from a confirmatory factor analysis of the proposed three-factor model among a sample of 1010 U.S. college students. The second study presents the results from a telephone survey of 1005 U.S. respondents. The third study examines the relationship between the three identified types of environmental concerns, existing measures of environmental attitudes, empathy, and social-value orientation. The final study presents the results from a multi-group confirmatory factor analysis examining the factor structure of environmental concerns among college students in ten countries. Additional analyses are provided on the relationship between values and environmental concerns. Taken together, the results provide strong evidence for the distinction between egoistic, altruistic, and biospheric environmental concerns.
Due to the omnipresent attitude–behavior gap, conservation psychologists have ceased to believe that attitudes are traceable from people's behavioral records. In contrast to this conventional wisdom and to the current state of the art in attitude measurement, we developed a behavior-based attitude scale for adolescents, which is based on people's recall of their past behavior. Using a cross-sectional survey of 928 students, we found that people's environmental attitude can be reliably derived from self-reported conservation behaviors by employing Rasch-type models. Our new attitude measure substantially overlaps with two previously established, conventional environmental attitude scales. Technically, behavior-based environmental attitude represents as much an attitude measure as it does a measure for people's goal-directed conservation behavior.